We’ve been warned not to say anything publicly that could make our board or school or identifiable colleagues look bad in any way. I don’t think I’m doing that here. I’m merely expressing a different opinion, and I expect I’ll be in the minority of public opinion. I’ll really just
Continue readingAuthor: Marie Snyder
A Puff of Absurdity: On Flag Waving
The twin-cities, Kitchener and Waterloo, have both decided to put a rainbow flag inside city hall for the duration of the Olympics rather than fly one outside the building. From The Record: [Coun. Frank] Etherington [who proposed the motion] was critical of the city’s flag solution. “My argument was (putting the
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Mesothelioma: Dying to be Heard
Today isn’t just Groundhog’s Day, it’s “Lung Leavin’ Day” – a commemorative day sparked by Heather Von St. James who had her lung removed eight years ago today due to mesothelioma. Check out the ritual she cultivated on her website and an interview with her here. This is a very specific
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Further to York University’s Discrimination Issues…
If you haven’t heard, a York University prof denied a student’s request to work in all male groups for religious reasons. York’s Centre for Human Rights suggested the student should be granted the request to avoid being with women in public. I commented with my views here: I see
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: The Tao of Environmentalism
At Politics Respun, Stephen Elliott-Buckley suggests we make decarbonizing our New Year’s resolution. In a fit of frustration, I commented thusly: What does it look like to join you? I mean I’m totally in, but what do I do to “seriously begin to decarbonize”? How to stop this? I already
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On the New Math
Elizabeth Renzetti has a funny and somewhat insightful article in the Globe & Mail today about our obsession with math. In a nutshell, we’re equating math with jobs. She says, “The problem is that we have started to think of our children as future employees, even the ones who can’t
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Self-Obsession and Self-Hatred
Today some students were discussing Victoria Secrets models. Some of the girls have significant contempt for the women that show off the latest fashions in lingerie. It’s curious to me that I don’t think I ever felt that way in high-school even though it seems to be the dominant mindset.
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: An Eco-Conservative?
Conservative MP Peter Braid, my MP, broke ranks and admitted that this weather we’re having here and elsewhere is definitely linked to climate change. Is this another sign the party is beginning to crumble? I’ve seen an environmental side to Braid much earlier on, and I always wondered how he
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Teacher Blogging Challenge Meme
I had a neighbour question my blogging habits. I told him I love to get my thoughts down in writing. He scoffed, “But why put it out there for others to see?” He seemed incredulous of the idea that this is a way to connect with like-minded souls or a
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Fear of the Worst Thing and First-World Anxiety
I just successfully transferred four years of family photos onto albums on-line that got shipped to my home as big colourful books. Then I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I was ever anxious about anything happening to my laptop because I’d be devastated to lose all my photos, and
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Our Continued Sexual Repression
Sherlock & John I watched the first episode of the new season of Sherlock last night. There’s a sub-plot with no spoilers here: John Watson gets engaged to Mary. Mrs. Hudson, the landlady, is shocked that he’s engaged to a woman since he and Sherlock were obviously so close –
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: 2013 Ideas in Review
Facebook bombarded me with everyone’s highlights of 2013 this morning, and I was struck with the urge people have to track the value of time spent by listing stuff they did. It’s all trips and big events. When I consider all I had done this year, what came to mind
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Saying "Merry Christmas!"
I’ve come across a few recent bits of writing from people who think we should do away with “Merry Christmas.” Even though I’m an atheist, I love Christmas, and I really hope I don’t offend people with the following because it is Christmas and all! The rules around what’s allowed during
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Driving Into a Wall
Have you seen Inside Job? It’s a great film about the ins and outs of the mortgage crisis all in layman’s terms so even I could get my head around it all. The interesting thing about it to me is the film footage and books and articles that show the
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On John Stuart Mill, Free Speech, and Climate Change
I got caught up in a few arguments about climate change recently that just reinforced to me, that there’s still such a strong bashlash against the entire idea that we’re unlikely to move forward quickly enough to be effective. Paper is trees! My school board is fundraising for the Philippines,
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Celebrating History
I’ve got a funny story. A while ago – like months – a colleague asked if I’d do some website or advertising work of some sort for a sesquicentennial event in 2017 crossing Canada and involving high-school history teachers. I’d have to find a way to get high-schools everywhere involved.
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Stoic Environmentalism
I’m doing the Stoic Week thing this week. It’s just a matter of contemplating specific quotations each day. Even though I studied them years ago, and teach about them even, and maybe should have figured this all out long ago, I’m still stuck on the first reading. I’m a slow
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: A Little Hope is Effective…
A lot of hope is dangerous. – President Snow This may be a little hokey, but I think Catching Fire is an important film to see right now. And it’s awesome! I read the books ages ago, but even though I know how they each end, it didn’t stop me
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Alain de Botton
de Botton Alain de Botton wrote one of my favourite under-praised books, Status Anxiety. I also quite like using his Consolations of Philosophy in my class as an additional resource because it simplifies and grounds some theories for the kids. And I show his TEDTalk on atheism 2.0 every semester
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: All for Nought
It’s kind of a riddle: there are 5 essential learning components in the course. A student did two with an average of 68, but stopped working and hasn’t handed in the last three assignments. What mark should he get? Marks ranged from 27 to 68 for one student – But
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